Addiction and Substance Abuse

Smoking crack

Question:

I want to know how can i tell when some one is smoking crack what is the sign; what do they do? and how they act?

Answer:

Crack is a form of cocaine, which is a central nervous system stimulant. How a person acts when taking crack depends on a number of things, including the dosage, pattern, and duration of use.

Intoxication with moderate amounts of crack may produce the following behaviors:

hyperawareness,

hypersexuality,

hypervigilance, and

agitation.

In very high doses, individuals may show signs of

delusions,

paranoia,

compulsive behavior, and

suicidal thoughts.

Withdrawal from crack may cause a wide range of symptoms including a "crash" period that includes depressed mood, anxiety, agitation, and intense drug craving. The crash period is followed by an intermediate withdrawal phase that includes symptoms of fatigue, a loss of physical and mental energy, and decreased interest in the environment.

Remember that each person who uses crack may react to it in a slightly different way. There is really no way to tell "for sure" that a person is using any drug, including crack, simply by observing the person.

Depending on whether you are observing an individual who is "high" on crack or who is "coming down" off crack, the symptoms will be very different. If you observe very erratic high and low symptoms that are not "normal" for the person, these symptoms may be the result of cocaine use. However, there may also be other causes of this behavior (such as bipolar disorder). The only way to know for sure is to perform a drug screen, which would reveal cocaine in the individual's urine.

Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More)